When I finally sat up to face the day chained to the floor, I saw the Boogieman standing a few feet away from me.
"He's going to kill you." The thing wheezed, clutching its chest. "He's going to kill you and take your soul."
"What're ya talkin' 'bout?" I asked. The Boogieman seemed to be having problems, he keeled over slightly, and then he began fidgeting with his mask.
"I am you," he coughed. "If he won't give me your soul to devour, then I die with you. I cannot have this. I will kill you myself." He loosened the straps on his mask and slid it over his head, I saw black hair, but his face was hidden from me.
He pulled out a knife and brandished at me. He lifted his head and I held back a scream of terror. His face… was mine, but if I had died at the age of 80 and been decaying for 2 years. It was grotesque and I couldn't look at it.
"No, don'!" I said fiercely, straining against my chains. He advanced and put a hand around my neck and put the knife to my neck and began pressing into my skin. My eyes rolled back into my head with horror, I fought uselessly.
"I need your soul, the essence of what I was created from, I need it to sustain me, and I'll never be decayed again. I'll live in your original form." He muttered. I felt drops of blood rolling down my neck I was slamming my fist into his face but he didn't seem to care at all. "Good-bye Mister Niccals." He said hoarsely. Then I heard shouts and the doors to the throne room opened.
The Boogieman looked up and his decaying eyes widened at the figures I could not see. I heard a gun and the Boogieman slumped over the opposite way, not dead, but distracted enough.
2D awoke during all this excitement and he was looking with disbelief at the things that had come to my aide, slowly I turned my head and saw Noodle brandishing a smoking shotgun, a menacing glare on her face. Russel and a white figure were standing behind her.
"We're here for you two." The white figure said, stepping in front of Noodle and walking steadily over to me. He tapped my chains and they fell off, shriveling at the ground. I took a wary step before looking to Noodle's face. She gazed back with wide eyes.
"Murdoc." She whispered faintly, reaching out a hand. I took it with shaking fingers and then embraced her, breathing in her scent. All those noble pretenses fell away and I realized I wanted to be with her, I wanted to escape. The will to live sparked again inside of me and I would fight to see the basement of Kong Studios again.
I looked up to see the white figure free Face-Ache from his cage, the singer stood up straight, his black holes wide with surprise. He looked at the thing and stuck a hand out sheepishly. "Fanks, mate." He said.
"Call me the Evangelist." The man replied, shaking his hand and then turning to Russ. "Shall we?"
"I dunno man." The drummer said uneasily. "I kinda think somethin's wrong, the Devil isn' jus' gonna let us waltz inteh his fuckin' throne room an' then jus' let us go."
I winced and a voice sounded in my head. Murdoc we had a deal, it was Satan whispering into my head. Don't go breaking it, more people will get hurt.
Just then, the Boogieman sat up, his grotesque features causing Noodle to cry out in terror. He pointed a finger at me. "Y-you cannot leave!" he rasped. I looked at him and shook my head, directing my gaze at the Evangelist.
"We need to go." I said, he nodded and right as we turned, the whole palace gave a treacherous lurch and a mighty roar sounded. "WE NEED TO GO NOW!" I shouted over it.
I was running from death, again.